GORHAM, Maine – Freshman Owen Arend (Palmetto, Fla./Kents Hill School) scored the first two goals of his career to help lead the University of Southern Maine men's ice hockey team to a 4-3 non-conference win over the Wentworth Institute of Technology Leopards on Saturday afternoon. Freshman Gavin Simopoulos (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) and sophomore Matt Sullivan (Hingham, Mass./New Hampton School) also had two points each for the Huskies. Simopoulos had a pair of assists and Sullivan had the empty-net goal that served as the game-winner plus an assist.
 
Sophomore Ethan MacDuff (Lloydminster, Alberta) also scored for the Huskies while Wentworth's offense was led by two goals from Nikolas Sombrowski.
 
Senior goaltender Kyle Penton (Waltham, Mass./Albany Academy) made 24 saves and earned his first win of the season.  
 
The Records:
Southern Maine: 2-4-0
Wentworth: 3-5-1
 
Series History:
Today was the first meeting between the two schools since November 26, 2017, a game Wentworth won 2-1. The Huskies lead the series 3-1.
 
The Goaltenders:
Wentworth: Jack McGovern (1-3-1), 57:44, three goals allowed, 18 saves
Southern Maine: Kyle Penton (1-2-0): 59:40, three goals allowed, 24 saves
 
How It Happened:

• The Huskies had the best scoring chance of a scoreless first period but had a shot hit the crossbar. The teams ended the first 20 minutes of action even at 0-0. Penton made 10 saves in the period and McGovern stopped five shots. The Leopard limited Southern Maine's chance by blocking nine shots in the frame.
• Wentworth scored the first goal of the game 6:47 into the second period with a blast by Cade Penney that was assisted by Desmond Johnson. The lead was short-lived because Arend tied the game at 1-1 with a laser of a shot for the first goal of his career. Simopoulos had the assist.
• MacDuff cleaned up the rebound of an Austin Marini (Hyde Park, Mass./Catholic Memorial) shot for the second Husky goal of the period with just over two minutes to go.
• Arend scored his second goal of the game with 6:27 left in regulation after a long pass by Simopulos gave him a one-on-one with the Wentworth goalie. Simopulos and Senior Mathieu Sabourin (Alexandria, Ontario) had assists on the goal and junior Cole Brennan (Sussex, N.J./ Pomfret School) delivered a hit behind the Huskies' net to force the turnover.
• Sombrowski scored for Wentworth 1:04 later to bring the score to 3-2 with less than five minutes to play. Gavin Klaassen and George Kolovos assisted on the goal.
• Sullivan potted an empty-netter for his first goal of the season with 1:46 left in the game. Wentworth again pulled their goalie and Sombrowski cut the lead to 4-3 with 32 seconds left before the Huskies closed out the game.

 
Inside The Stats:

• Wentworth led 27-22 in shots on goal and 27-23 in faceoffs.
• MacDuff went 8-for-15 on faceoffs to lead the Huskies. Freshman Finn Ernsjöö (Stockholm, Sweden) went 4-for-7 at the dot in his NCAA debut.
• Sullivan, the team's leading goal scorer from last season, scored his first goal of the year and leads the team in assists (four) and points (five) this season.
• Wentworth blocked 21 shots in the game. Will O'Brien and George Weiner each blocked four shots.
• Five of Southern Maine's six games so far this season have been decided by one goal.

 
Up Next:
The Huskies have another non-conference home game on Tuesday night at 7:00 pm against Colby College.